The 1981-82 NBA season was a challenging one for the San Diego Clippers. Under head coach Paul Silas, the team struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 17-65 record. This placed them last in the Pacific Division and tied for the worst record in the league that season. The Clippers faced difficulties on both ends of the court, which reflected in their standings.
Despite the team’s overall performance, there were individual bright spots. Forward Terry Cummings, who was the second overall pick in the 1982 NBA Draft, provided a glimpse of potential that the franchise hoped to build on. However, the season was marked by instability and injuries, which hindered any sustained progress. The Clippers’ struggles in San Diego raised questions about the team’s future in the city, leading to their eventual relocation to Los Angeles in 1984. The 1981-82 season highlighted the need for significant changes within the organization.
- Regular Season Record: 17-65
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
San Diego Clippers Roster and Stats for 1981-82 Season
POINTS
Tom Chambers
17.2
REBOUNDS
Jerome Whitehead
9.2
ASSISTS
Brian Taylor
5.7
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Tom Chambers | 81 | 17.2 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Freeman Williams | 37 | 16.5 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 32.4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Brooks | 82 | 15.6 | 7.6 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jerome Whitehead | 72 | 13.8 | 9.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Phil Smith | 48 | 13.2 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 20.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charlie Criss | 28 | 12.9 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 38.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al Wood | 29 | 12.5 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 16.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Swen Nater | 21 | 12.5 | 9.1 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Bryant | 75 | 11.8 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 26.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brian Taylor | 41 | 10.8 | 2.3 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 35.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Wiley | 61 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Douglas | 64 | 7.0 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 31.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Brogan | 63 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 28.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Armond Hill | 19 | 4.7 | 1.4 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Davis | 7 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Smith | 72 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rock Lee | 2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
San Diego Clippers 1981-82 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1981-82 season for the San Diego Clippers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 125-110 | |
| Nov 04, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 129-128 | |
| Nov 06, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 114-93 | |
| Nov 07, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 105-102 | |
| Nov 10, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 106-97 | |
| Nov 12, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 122-115 | |
| Nov 14, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 123-114 | |
| Nov 18, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 133-128 | |
| Nov 19, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 105-100 | |
| Nov 21, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 119-117 | |
| Nov 24, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 109-102 | |
| Nov 25, 1981 | @ Utah Jazz | L 102-100 | |
| Nov 27, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 138-129 | |
| Nov 28, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 122-120 | |
| Dec 01, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 117-94 | |
| Dec 03, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 113-111 | |
| Dec 05, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 138-113 | |
| Dec 08, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 121-110 | |
| Dec 11, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 106-102 | |
| Dec 13, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 98-74 | |
| Dec 15, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 118-101 | |
| Dec 17, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 106-92 | |
| Dec 19, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 106-100 | |
| Dec 23, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 114-109 | |
| Dec 26, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 128-116 | |
| Dec 27, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 139-117 | |
| Dec 29, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 119-107 | |
| Dec 30, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 94-91 | |
| Jan 02, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 108-101 | |
| Jan 05, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 112-104 | |
| Jan 06, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 136-114 | |
| Jan 07, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 113-112 | |
| Jan 09, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 125-118 | |
| Jan 12, 1982 | @ Houston Rockets | L 107-106 | |
| Jan 13, 1982 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 105-102 | |
| Jan 15, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 117-108 | |
| Jan 16, 1982 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 106-87 | |
| Jan 17, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 138-131 | |
| Jan 20, 1982 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 108-99 | |
| Jan 21, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 120-110 | |
| Jan 23, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 113-109 | |
| Jan 27, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 99-92 | |
| Jan 28, 1982 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 96-93 | |
| Feb 02, 1982 | @ Houston Rockets | L 122-106 | |
| Feb 03, 1982 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 113-106 | |
| Feb 05, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 90-85 | |
| Feb 07, 1982 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-97 | |
| Feb 09, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 129-121 | |
| Feb 12, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 129-116 | |
| Feb 13, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 146-129 | |
| Feb 16, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 102-91 | |
| Feb 18, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 119-114 | |
| Feb 19, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 113-97 | |
| Feb 20, 1982 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 118-101 | |
| Feb 23, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 115-101 | |
| Feb 26, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-110 | |
| Feb 28, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 110-95 | |
| Mar 02, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 108-101 | |
| Mar 03, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 125-107 | |
| Mar 05, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 117-116 | |
| Mar 07, 1982 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 144-106 | |
| Mar 09, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 138-127 | |
| Mar 11, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 113-107 | |
| Mar 13, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 126-118 | |
| Mar 16, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 114-110 | |
| Mar 17, 1982 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 113-107 | |
| Mar 19, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | L 108-98 | |
| Mar 21, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 118-97 | |
| Mar 23, 1982 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 106-98 | |
| Mar 25, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 129-117 | |
| Mar 27, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 128-99 | |
| Mar 30, 1982 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 143-120 | |
| Mar 31, 1982 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 127-106 | |
| Apr 01, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 117-100 | |
| Apr 03, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 133-124 | |
| Apr 06, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 110-96 | |
| Apr 08, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 117-115 | |
| Apr 09, 1982 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 124-104 | |
| Apr 10, 1982 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 132-119 | |
| Apr 12, 1982 | @ Utah Jazz | L 112-107 | |
| Apr 13, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 105-94 | |
| Apr 15, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 129-123 |